Wisconsin has named Tyler Van Dyke its beginning quarterback, Badgers offensive coordinator Phil Longo introduced Wednesday. The previous Miami signal-caller transferred into this system after 4 seasons with the Hurricanes and has one 12 months of eligibility remaining to resurrect a once-promising profession.
Van Dyke’s prime competitors for the job got here from redshirt sophomore Braedyn Locke, who began three video games for the Badgers in 2023 throughout coach Luke Fickell’s first season. Longo forged it as a detailed race between the 2 signal-callers.
“We type of see it as a 1A and 1B kind state of affairs proper now, versus a one and a two,” Longo mentioned. “That is how properly Braedyn has carried out right here in camp. However as of proper now, Tyler Van Dyke is our starter.”
Van Dyke is the extra seasoned of the 2 gamers as he brings three years of serious beginning expertise at Miami to the desk. The Connecticut native thrived as a redshirt freshman with the Hurricanes in 2021, passing for 25 touchdowns and simply six interceptions whereas incomes ACC Rookie of the 12 months below then-Miami offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee. Nonetheless, Van Dyke struggled at occasions in 2022 and 2023 below a brand new teaching regime and in two completely different offensive methods.
Becoming a member of Longo’s high-octane assault ought to give Van Dyke an opportunity to play in a system extra akin to the one he succeeded in at Miami in 2021. Van Dyke is the second consecutive former Lashlee pupil to be named the Badgers’ beginning quarterback.
Final 12 months Wisconsin turned to former SMU quarterback Tanner Mordecai, who had thrown for 3,524 and 33 touchdowns with the Mustangs throughout the 2022 season. The outcomes had been combined because the Badgers completed 7-6 and ranked 69th nationally in whole offense throughout Fickell’s debut marketing campaign.
Nonetheless, the Badgers had been derailed offensively in mid-October, when Mordecai suffered a hand harm throughout the workforce’s loss to Iowa. Locke, then a redshirt freshman with no expertise, took excessive job and logged three begins earlier than Mordecai returned in mid-November.
If Van Dyke goes down this season, Locke shall be a seasoned backup with a 12 months of expertise in Longo’s system. Even when Van Dyke stays injury-free, constructing upon final season’s 7-6 report and middling offensive output shall be troublesome for the Badgers, who face a tricky 2024 schedule. Video games towards Alabama and at USC spotlight the September slate, whereas challenges towards Penn State, Iowa and Oregon mark the season’s second half.